Set up!

Yesterday I received the keys to my classroom. I will be teaching reading in grades 6-8. My class is designed as an intensive reading course to deliver instruction to students who need reading support. We're switching to a new program this year from last year, so I haven't been able to begin much curriculum planning yet. However, I can at least set up my classroom and get that up and running in the meantime. I'll have to be ready to jump right in as soon as we get our curriculum, and it'll be a huge relief to have the classroom ready before then.

Here's the current layout of the room:

Ideally, the seats would be paired into subgroups of 2 or 3 in a row. However we have the attached-chair desks, so they really can't be put next to each other very well.

My huge task today was to organize and clean up the storage shelves and clean out any other storage areas in the room. There are two entire floor to ceiling storage units full of textbooks from past reading programs, manuals, and other resources for an older curriculum set. I made the shelves a little cleaner and organized, I also increased the safety of the room by removing loose wood and nails, etc.

I reserved the entire middle section for a class library. I am blessed to have a good selection of books in my room from previous teachers. I'd like to supplement this with some higher-level books as students advance through the class. Also, I'd like to find some more current realistic fiction to hook students into reading.

A brand new classroom photo:

Things are getting exciting in here!